another acro ID - This One Is Kinda Unique! - please help

[johns]

Expert advice needed. Got this acro recently. It' not like anything I've really seen. I'm sure I havent seen everything, so maybe it's not so strange, but i was wondering if someone could help me. At least lead me in the right direction.

Let me describe it first, then I have lots of pics - the color in the pics is fairly accurate. Sort of a powder blue color that I havent seen in many acros. Honestly, it looks a little unnatural to me. The lips of the corallites are lined with a very thin bit of glowing neon green - it's such a thin line that it needs to be under the right light for the green to really shine through nicely. The polyps are fairly embedded, they come out very slightly sometimes and they are glowing a neon powder blue, a bit like the color of the coral skin.

In addition to it's 'uniqueness', I have an addition reason for wanting you to look at it. First some pics. then I'll be back with some more comments.

 

[johns]

OK. The color is so strange (to me at least) that I am actually wondering about the health of this coral. When I received it, I discovered that there are a few dying branches on one side of the coral, making me wonder even more. I havent removed the dying branches yet. So what do you think. Is this a dying coral? or is it something you've seen before that just needs to be 'fixed-up' a bit?

 

[fishypets]

I wouldn't wait to start fraging.

BTW that is a nice coral

 

[turtlespd]

the coral looks sevierly bleached and stressed. I would start fraggin it immediatly. Many reefers think that this is what a sometimes bleached coral is a power blue corals and if you never seen a real powder blue sps your most likely going to make a poor purchase. The coral looks like it can make a nice come back but i would keep it low like you have now or either shaded.

Paul

 

[johns]

I also was afraid it could be a bit bleached. I have it on the tank bottom, off to the side a bit.

I still think it looks very interesting. Just wasn't sure if this would be it's true final color or if someone could tell me what color it likely will be. or what it likely is.

 

[joetbs]

There are blue corals of that species(looks like A. Nasuta based on the eye shape corallites), but I do believe they are not as 'translucent' looking for lack of a better adjective. When healthy they are much deeper in color, and the blue doesn't pop as much. If there is no tissue peeling away from the dead branches, I would leave them be for a few weeks to see how the whole colony reacts. They seem to be decent growers once established, and having to deal with new tips to grow in addition to regaining health isn't in the coral's best odds.

It's a nice piece, good luck with it.
joe

 

[sps_addict]

I agree with Joe, since you just purchased this acro, you shouldn't frag it right away. The coral still needs to use it strength to adjust to your tank, fight off infection, and so on. If you cut it during that you may lose the whole colony because it can't keep up with the changes, healing, and growth.

Just my $.02

 

[johns]

Yes, well I havent fragged it yet. I havent noticed the tissue receding any further yet. But it's only been a couple of days.

Anyway, are there any more opinions about the ID. So far the only possibility I have been given is A. nasuta.

And any more opinions about the color?

 

[Chicago]

it had a rough ride into the country and released a significant amount of zoo... will take time to heal.. i have had this happen on many occasions with walt smith box loads. in my experience with corals at this stage i frag a branch or two in case i loose the whole head...

just my experiecne though... i have lost lots of 12 or so .. however they do recover. do not expect this to be the color of the coral.. it goes through a process.. may go brown and eventually purple or something else. you might want to talk to whomever you got it from..

 

[drake66]

i've got one of those, but mine is more 'peach' colored with light light purple tips

 

[Me No Nemo]

I've received several of these at my store and I agree with the Walt Smith Coral mention as these are what I bought. They do loose a lot of color, but they will come back, usually not the same color as you see now. When I first get them, they are really deep colored and I think it is the second shipping, from wholesaler to shop that pushes them over. I have one now that is very pale purple, almost white with green polyps, but when it came in it was very vivid. I do run ALL acros through Interceptor for 8-10 hours before putting them in in my tanks, so I attributed the color fade to that, but they are starting to come back nicely after just a couple of weeks. I haven't lost any completely, although some have bleached pretty badly. Low light and flow for a while seems to help. GL, Marcye

 

[johns]

Using the above photos as a reference, I looked closely at the coral today and see that the tissue loss is spreading, albeit slowly. Basically, the next 'line' of corallite from where it was last night have bit the dust. If I can get a photo later tonight, I'll try. Does it need to be fragged now, or keep waiting a bit.

Me No Nemo-

Can I ask you why you feel this happens to Walt Smith pieces in particular?

I have recieved a number of other aquacultured acros from Bali, etc from some online shops and most come to me looking very healthy and vivid. Just curious whats different about Walt Smith.

This one I got because some of the close up photos looked REALLY interesting. When you look at it quickly, it really does look nice. I just wasnt expecting the overall 'unhealthy' look it has when you look more closely at it.

 

[joetbs]

I think it's because they are wild, not necessarily that they are from Walt Smith. Alot of wild Fiji & Tonga pieces have issues. Shipping & constant environment changes are probably the biggest factors. I have had issues with improperly shipped Bali cultured corals FWIW...

joe

 

[johns]

So you think this one is wild. Thats kind of what I was getting at but wanted to hear it from somone else.

But I noticed the place I got this at had it listed as Aquacultured, so I'm not so sure. I really doubt they are lying. Is there a way of knowing for sure.

 

[Me No Nemo]

The ones I have trouble with apparently are the wild acros, at least that is what I was told by the wholesalers. I think it's just shipping and stress. Aquacultured acclimate much more easily IMO. I don't usually buy wild acros, but I wanted to add some diversity to my stock and I did in fact get some very unique corals.

 

[AWExotics]

The coral looks severely bleached and stressed from shipping.

Looking at it I think it is a Wild Colony. I couldn't really see the typical Aquacultured base at the bottom of the coral so it was either removed or it is wild.

I personally don't find AC corals much more hardy than Wild collected. The AC corals I am referring to are ones AC'ed in the ocean. AC does better but not much in my experience.


As far as your coral.. if tissue is receding at a noticeable rate you should probably frag the heathy portions of the coral away from the die off.

Keep the coral in a decent current. This seems to slow RTN (infection) IME.

This coral is not ready for the intense artificial lights of our aquariums. Keep it low in tank .. mayb e even under a ledge for a while. Let if brown out. This is a sign of the return of it's zooxantellae. After it vrowns out.. start the move up to the final resting place.

I have done this countless times with decent success. I rescue alot of corals from wholesalers and save pieces. Sometimes only a tiny frag makes it but atleast it is something.

Todd

 

[joetbs]

Johns, easiest way to tell is if there is a manmade base. Your piece doesn't look to have one, unless its buried in the sand.

I've seen wild colonies that are literally fragged off the parent colonies without any base which always do awful in my experience. Those seem to come from Bali though, and the Fiji ones seem to be collected properly(i.e. with a base)

joe

 

[joetbs]

Argh. Quadruple posts.

 

[johns]

Actually, there is a base and I did bury it in the sand.

In the top photo, the base portion is mostly behind it and buried slightly. if you look closely, you can see a little bit of stringy algae that is actually from the base.

Maybe I should unbury it and take another pic?